Pulled Pork

Whether piled into a juicy sandwich or served with corn bread, our recipes for pulled pork are perfect for easy weeknight meals or potlucks. Carolina-style pulled pork and pulled pork with strawberry barbecue sauce are among our personal favorites.

Pulled pork ought to have the same patriotic status as apple pie--it's that popular and a delicious way to prepare meat that's especially great for summertime meals. Cook it any way you like--and we've got plenty of suggestions here--and turn pulled pork into a terrific sandwich, a main dish, or use it to fill quesadillas or tacos. Easy as pie.

If there were ever going to be an iconic dish of the South, pulled pork would be a contender. Before the Civil War era, Southerners ate almost five times more pork than beef, which makes sense because pigs were plentiful and relatively easy to care for. In fact, some pigs would be let loose in the forest to thrive on their own, then hunted when necessary. When these pigs were caught and cooked, it became a community celebration, and friends, family, and neighbors would all share in the feast together.

Sandwiches are a classic choice for a tailgate, but Ken Oringer likes to go beyond plain ham-and-cheese. For these cubanos he roasts and shreds pork butt, then he layers the succulent meat on rolls along with homemade tomato jam, grilled onions, pickles, and Gruyere. He cooks the sandwiches on a portable grill until they are crispy and warm.

These mini cocktail sandwiches are served overstuffed with tender pulled pork simmered in smoky barbecue sauce. Each is topped with a dollop of creamy coleslaw seasoned with a tangy-sweet Caroline-style honey mustard barbecue sauce. Arrange on a large platter for entertaining.

Pork shoulder becomes fork tender after roasting with a balsamic vinegar-based barbecue sauce in a slow cooker for a few hours. Serve on slider buns with a scoop of coleslaw for a small sandwich that tastes like a summer cookout.